The Crisis
by KyraKayden
Summary: Aleyna Jes. Assassin, Spy, Warrior. Has she any idea just how much her life is about to change? With the Emporer dead, the Dragonfires ceased, the Gates of Oblivion are opening. Can she rise to the challenge? Can she rise to the mantle of Champion? The story is on hold until I can reestablish the heavily modded version I used for inspiration and gameplay.
1. 19th of Hearth Fire, 3E 434

Aleyna stumbles down the ramp falling short of the handle on the door as she reaches out for it. She lays there staring up at the ceiling as blood from the sword wound in her side flows freely onto the stone floor of the Blue teams entrance to the Bloodworks.

She coughs as blood begins to drip from the corner of her mouth and she manages a small chuckle. A High Elf appears in her field of vision, looking down at her shaking her head when Aleyna smiles her teeth stained with blood.

"I won."

"Barely." Esaera leans down pulling Aleyna by the arm and hauls her into the Red Room, pulling the door shut, she struggles to carry the Breton before she lets her fall onto the rim of the Fountain.

Esaera grabs her by the hair and unceremoniously dunks her head into the enchanted waters, holding her there as Aleyna pounds her fists against it struggling to get up.

Her head breaks the water with a loud drawn out gasp, coughing and sputtering, she giggles to herself still a little dazed as Owyn appears at her other arm and helps Esaera haul her limp body deeper into the Bloodworks.

They dump her onto a bedroll making her cry out in pain, rolling onto her good side clutching the still bleeding wound that was beginning to heal. She rolls onto her back arms splayed out and chuckles to herself again managing both a groan of pain and a laugh.

"I won."

Her eyes roll back and her head falls to the side as she passes out.

"We need to speak to her." The voices seemed a thousand miles away as Aleyna blinks, the bright light searing her eyes.

"She needs her rest, Blade."

"That woman is an Agent of the Imperial Army, not some Pit Dog. Go in there, shove a potion down her throat and prop her up so I can speak with her, or I'll go in there and do it myself." Aleyna's eyes roll back in her head as she licks her dry lips and tries to speak. Her throat is dry and she rolls onto her side as she coughs clutching her still tender wound.

"Achille." One of the voices says as the two Blades march into the small alcove where they put her on a bedroll only hours before.

"Good, you're awake." Aleyna winces as she slowly pushes herself upright and rests with her back against the wall, looking up at them with her dark green eyes.

"What can I do for you, Cyrus?"

"You know who I am?"

"Do you protect the Emporer?"

"Of course." The Blade says puffing out his chest, she fixes him with a stare, it sends chills down Cyrus' spine its like she could see into him.

"Then of course I know who you are."

"Yes, well... You need to gather your things Agent, you're to come with us." Aleyna looks past the two heavily armored men and gives Owyn a nod, the two Blade Knights look over their shoulders then at one another as she watches them.

"All right you two, what is going on?"

"Your presence is required immediately, we're evacuating the Emporer as we speak you're to accompany him to Cloud Ruler Temple." Aleyna extends her arm and Cyrus steps forward pulling her to her feet. She rests her hand against the wall and holds her side, wincing in pain.

"What's happened?"

"Geldall, Enman, and Ebel are dead. Assassinated." Her green eyes snap open again as she looks at them in surprise.

"All three heirs, dead? How did this happen?" Almost reflexively, her spine snaps straight shoulders squared, the clear signs of someone of authority. The Knights, like all good military men in the presence of a superior officer, instinctively snap to attention.

"We don't know not yet, but the Emporer asked for you personally." Owyn returns handing Aleyna her big leather pack, she grunts in pain as she swings it onto her shoulders and claps her hand on her old friend's shoulder.

"Something's happened but I'll return." She brushes past him as the Knights step out of her way.

"For your payment, I assume?" Aleyna looks over her shoulder her dark green eyes glinting in the light as she smiles.

"Of course."


	2. The Fall

"They should've been waiting here for us." Cyrus' eyes wander the area around the sewer grate leading out of the Imperial City as Aleyna dismounts, her boots hitting the packed dirt surrounding the stone platform the grate rests on.

Aleyna takes a knee her brow furrowed as she examines the dirt around her pivoting and circling on her back foot before rising, dusting off her fingerless gloved hands and approaching the sewer grate. Wrapping her fingers around the bars she gives it a yank, then another.

"Still locked. They haven't made it out yet."

"Captain Renault has the key, we'll have to wait." Cyrus says as he steps onto the stone platform beside her.

"No need."

Aleyna kneels with the lock at eye level as she pulls a pick tucked into her hair behind her left ear. She inserts the pick and slides a small knife from the lip of her boot, inserting it into the lock. She raises the tumblers and twists, the rusty lock opening with an audible snap swinging the man sized grate open with a loud creak. They all peer into the dark tunnel.

"Achille will come with you, you'll need a guide."

"Wait here, that's an order." She rises to her feet brushing the rust from her fingers as she ducks into the sewer pipe.

The sewers were dark, disused, this particular section of the sewer was closed solely for an escape route out of the city for the Emporer. Aleyna steps out of the pipe and straightens up in the large room just beyond. She shrugs her pack from her shoulders and kneels as she undoes the tie and flips open the top flap.

Rummaging around until she finds a small torch. She looks down at her palm and closes her eyes trying to focus until her palm ignites with flames, she holds the torch over her palm until the flammable wax around the top ignites filling the room with light as she slings the pack back onto her shoulders.

Her eyes wander the dank stone walls as rats scurry away in the torch light, taking the first left she crosses a small rope bridge leading to a door. She remembers the first time she was brought down here, if it was possible it smelled worse back then.

Renault and the other Blades had commandeered this section of sewer for the Emporer's secure escape. She had tagged along, as a favor to the Emporer offering her expertise where she could, making a mental map of the way that she now had to rely on in reverse.

Aleyna looks down at the complex spin lock on the simple wooden door, something she had suggested to them almost three years ago now.

"Knew this would come back to haunt me. Ok, come on." She spins the locks one complete turn and bites her lower lip.

"Three times to the right." She spins the lock around until she hears it click.

"One to the left." Another click.

"And two right." The last tumbler drops with a loud clang as the locking bar behind the door snaps open.

The tension releases from the spring operated bar that secures the door to the frame. She pulls on the handle and the door swings open easily, Aleyna steps in pulling it shut behind her. She drops the torch at her feet and climbs the ladder leading up into the tunnels beneath the Imperial Prison and the Emporer.

Her pack falls onto the ground ahead of her as she hauls herself out of the port hole and drops over the edge brushing herself off as she slings her pack back around her shoulders.

She pulls open the door to the hidden grate and closes it behind her, she steps into the stone tunnel she hadn't seen since there were a hundred stone masons down here building it.

They do good work, she nods appreciatively as she walks down the well lit tunnel toward a room with an iron gate barring her passage through, she walks under the stone archway as she approaches it, voices growing louder.

"My lord, my only job now is to get you to safety."

"Baurus, it is all right to let yourself feel, Captain Renault was a dear friend of mine as well."

"Of course sire, let's just keep moving please before they catch up to us." Aleyna raps on the gate with her armored fist, Baurus turning and drawing his blade.

"You want to put the sword down and open this thing?" She asks as Baurus exhales a sigh of relief.

"Aleyna. Thank the gods, I thought Cyrus wouldn't make it in time. Glenroy, open this thing." The other Knight removes a ring of keys from his belt and unlocks the gate, the Emporer coming down the stairs as she steps through.

"Aleyna." He says a smile coming across the old Emporer's worry lined face, Aleyna kneels bowing her head.

"My Lord." He comes up to her and rests his hand on her shoulder.

"Rise, rise please my child it is so good to see you." He pulls the woman into a hug, exhaling in her soft hair relieved to see the closest thing he had ever had to a daughter.

Aleyna had deep devotion and loyalty to the Emporer, orphaned when she was young the good King took her in gave her skills and purpose, she owed him everything her life included.

"Your grace I'm so sorry about your sons, if I had known.."

"I know child, I know."

"I swear on my life, they will be avenged."

"I'm afraid vengeance will have to wait Aleyna, I asked you here for a very specific reason. Excuse us?" He nods to the Knights as he rests his hand at the small of her back and leads her into a small room just off of the main chamber.

"My Lord?" She asks, the Emporer's face grows troubled as he sits on a small stone alcove.

"My time on this world is at an end Aleyna, my sons are dead and I am next."

"Sire, as long as I draw breath nothing will happen to you. You made sure of that." She sits down next to him as he smiles warmly putting his arm around her.

"I had you join the Legion because you needed discipline, not so you could learn twenty ways to kill a man with your bare hands."

"Thirty one, actually." She smiles as she bumps her shoulder against his and he manages a small chuckle. His eyes roll up to the ceiling as he sighs, folding his hands in his lap.

"I know you've never been one for religion Aleyna, but I've tried to live always serving the Nines. Charting my course by the cycle of the heavens and now they show me that my time has come."

"My lord?"

"You cannot escape fate Aleyna, I have lived well and my ghost will rest easy. Men are but flesh and blood they know their doom comes but not the hour, I'm blessed to know when mine has arrived. I will face my appointed time with honor, and then fall."

"Such is the way of Emporers and men, so shall it be with me." The Emporer reaches up, unclasping the Amulet of Kings from around his neck, he takes Aleyna's hands and gently rests the large sparkling amulet in them. The large gem in the center glows and within it, it almost seems as if liquid spins and turns.

"Take this to Jauffre, tell him the Prince of Destruction awakens born anew in fire and blood. These cutthroats are but his mortal pawns." Sounds of fighting erupt from outside the small chamber as Aleyna looks down at the amulet then back up into the Emporer's faded blue eyes. He rests his hand on her cheek.

"You will never know just how much you meant to me child. Tell Jauffre there is another heir, a secret son I hid from all eyes, find him, rescue him and help him quell this darkness that befalls Tamriel. Consider these my final orders." A hidden stone passage way opens up in front of them a man in dark armor stepping out of it, his face hidden by a hood as he looks at them both.

Aleyna rises to her feet drawing her Elven sword. The man charges her as she parries his swing and kicks him backwards away from the Emporer. He charges her again as she thrusts with her blade and misses stepping into his instep, deflecting his blade down and past her thigh, she twists in place.

Throwing her right elbow over her shoulder jamming it into his jaw, at the same time sweeping his leg out from under him she spins flipping the grip on her blade, the assassin falling back to the ground. She falls to one knee driving the blade down and through his chest.

Aleyna tosses the hair back from her eyes and she looks up just as an assassin from a second hidden stone passageway thrusts his blade into the Emporer.

"No!" She doesn't even realize she's doing it but as the words leave her mouth she's already drawn the silver dagger from the sheath belted mid way down her thigh and is extending her arm to throw.

She releases and the dagger spins through the air catching the assassin in the temple burying itself into his skull almost to the hilt. She pulls her sword from the other killer's chest and skids on her armored knees across the stone floor, coming to the Emporer's side.

Cradling him in her arms, she looks up leveling her sword as Baurus runs into the room, tears welling up in her green eyes she lets her sword clatter to the ground.

"I'm so sorry." She manages, her voice cracking.

"The Amulet?" The Emporer asks his voice weak as blood flows from the wound in his chest, Aleyna sniffs wiping her eyes with her sleeve she nods.

"I have it."

"Save this world from the darkness, Aleyna. It was always going to be you it was written in the stars, my beautiful warrior, the oncoming storm." The light fades from his wise blue eyes as tears fall from her cheeks, Aleyna reaches up and closes them with two fingers.

"By the Gods." Baurus says as he looks down at Aleyna as she slowly rests the Emporer onto the cold stone floor. Aleyna looks up at him and shakes her head.

Her eyes snap over to the assassin she drove her blade into, who groans still clinging to life. Aleyna sniffs and wipes her eyes as she gets up and walks over. She grabs ahold of the man by his chestplate hauling him to his feet she slams him into the wall, a dark look clouding her pretty face as she grits her teeth and growls.

"Who sent you?" The man's eyes roll back and Aleyna shakes him.

"Who sent you?!" The man's life leaves him as she pulls him a few inches forward and shoves him back into the wall, cursing, before she lets his corpse fall back to the ground. Aleyna picks up her pack and her sword sheathing it as she stops taking one last look at the Emporer.

"No one touches him."

"Of course ma'am." She exits the tunnels walking past the bodies of the assassins Baurus and Glenroy killed, ducking through the iron gate and back towards the sewer.

"Where's the Emporer?" Cyrus asks as Aleyna breaks daylight brushing past him without a word as she mounts her stallion. She looks at Cyrus for a moment before she turns the horse in place and digs her heels in, snapping the reigns.

"Hyah!"


	3. There is Another

Aleyna yanks back on the reigns the horse skidding and kicking up dust as she gets off the saddle and jogs up the path leading to Weynon Priory. She throws open the doors to the Priory House several of the priors getting to their feet protesting.

"Jauffre!" She yells as she shoves one prior out of the way barreling up the stairs.

"Jauffre!" She turns on her heel as she takes the second set of stairs two at a time.

"Aleyna? What in the name of-" Aleyna approaches his desk and he looks up at her as she slaps the Amulet of Kings down onto it.

"No..." She nods as he looks down at it then back up at her.

"Where were you?! You were the one person he depended on the most!" Jauffre rises to his feet, slamming his hands onto his desk.

"I was there! I just wasn't fast enough."

"The Emporer gone, his heirs are gone! The Dragonfires doused for the first time in centuries perhaps for good! Some Agent you turned out to be. A decade in the Legion and you couldn't do your job the one time it was truly required of you!" Jauffre comes around his desk at her.

"Choose your next words carefully, Grandmaster." The two warriors square off their nose inches from one another.

Jauffre searches her green eyes, full of pain and anger stained with tears, Jauffre sighs before he hugs the girl.

He'd known Aleyna Jes since the Emporer first brought her to him, barely five years old malnourished and abandoned. If she says she wasn't fast enough to save him, there was no one in all of Tamriel who could've been.

She had grown into such an incredible warrior, when a General or King kneeled before the Emporer it was usually at the point of Aleyna's sword, and it was her hand pushing down on their shoulder. Before they knelt before the Emporer, they fell at the hands of His deadliest soldier.

"I'm sorry child. I know how his Grace felt about you, you were the daughter he and Lady Caula always wished they'd had. We both know the lot of preening fools his heirs were but it wasn't their brains they were needed for." Jauffre slaps his hand down on the bookshelf beside him in frustration.

"He gave me a message. The Prince of Destruction rises and there is another heir to the Septim line." Jauffre looks at the floor for a moment then nods as he circles back around his desk, dropping into his chair and rubbing his chin.

"Yes, there is isn't there?" He gestures to a chair in front of him, Aleyna unbuckles her sword belt and drops her pack beside the chair before taking a seat, blowing the air from her lungs. Her entire body ached, she reaches up rubbing her neck where it meets her shoulder.

"Late one night, you were about eight I'd say. The Emporer came to me with a small bundle, an infant, he told me to keep the child someplace safe and to keep an eye on him." Jauffre opens a desk drawer and retrieves a bottle of brandy, pouring two cups. Aleyna takes it and sits back in her chair staring down into the dark liquid.

"He never said as much but I knew the boy was his son. He'd often ask about him in much the same way he would ask about you when you were training with the Legion. That look of caring and love was unmistakable, I'd seen it many times." Aleyna blinks a tear away and downs the brandy in a large gulp, exhaling as she swallows.

"I'm sorry I blamed you child." Aleyna looks up at him then back down into her empty cup.

"It's all right Grandmaster, I'm not entirely sure there was anything I could've done. He saw his death coming, he said his hour was upon him."

"Those with the Dragonsblood don't see the world the way we do. I have no doubt he did, just as I don't doubt there wasn't anything you could've done."

"The boy?"

"Yes, of course. His name is Martin, and if what the Emporer said is true, he is in grave danger." Aleyna sets her cup down and gets to her feet, swinging her pack back onto her shoulders.

"I'll bring him back to you Jauffre."

"No, even the Priory isn't safe. Go to Kvatch he's a priest in the Chapel of Akatosh, retrieve him and bring him North, to Cloud Ruler Temple. I will wait for you there." Aleyna comes to attention and nods, her boots clicking as she turns on one heel and exits the room with her orders.


	4. Kvatch

The sky above her darkens and the air feels heavier as Aleyna's horse trots up the road towards the city of Kvatch. She spies a small tent settlement growing in the distance along the road to the city. A Dunmer sprints past her without a word as she dismounts but an Altmer stops looking up at her his eyes filled with panic when she grabs his arm as he runs past.

"Run! Run for your life!" He yanks his arm away and takes off again, clearly running for his life. Aleyna turns and takes the reigns of the horse leading it up the path and into the tent camp, her other hand resting on the pommel of her sword.

"You!" She calls out as a Legionnaire exits one tent crossing the road to another. He turns when he hears her as she approaches he snaps to attention when he sees the sigil on the pommel of her sword.

"What's going on here?"

"Agent, you don't know? The city has fallen to the Daedra." She gives him a look.

"Have you been sampling the ale soldier? Where's your commander, Matius?"

"The Captain is at the city gates, trying to keep the Daedra from taking the road. Agent...you'll want armor." He points to a set of chainmail draped on a table by a crackling fire. Aleyna looks at it then back at him.

"You're serious."

"You should really go see the Captain ma'am." Aleyna walks over and picks up the chainmail.

"Feel like I'm in Boot again."

Aleyna looses the arrow from her silver bow, it sails over Matius' shoulder punching through the thick enlarged skull of the Clanfear that threw itself at him, catching it in mid air it falls to the ground dead. Matius turns as Aleyna throws him a wave the fighting around him beginning to die down.

She stares up at the massive portal to Oblivion erected just outside the city gate, almost as high as the walls surrounding Kvatch. The sky around her burned as if on fire, Legionnaires brush past her as they pull their wounded off of the front line, behind the hastily erected barricades, she looks back at Matius as he approaches her sheathing his bloody sword.

"Agent." The two old friends clasp their hands together as they turn and look up at the Oblivion gate.

"Captain, mind telling me what's going on here?"

"Last night at approximately three in the morning a gate to Oblivion sprung up in the center of town. Daedra of all manner began pouring from it in droves attacking and burning everything in sight." Aleyna's eyes wander up to the burning sky, no birds she thinks to herself.

"The Guard was almost immediately overwhelmed, we lost the city in almost half an hour. We failed to evacuate the count and I've been here trying to hold the road and protect the settlement below." Aleyna nods, perfectly sound and reasonable tactics, that lacked complete imagination or creative thought. Typical for most Legion soldiers, which was why Matius never rose in the ranks like she did.

"Now, mind explaining to me what you're doing here? I hope the Empire sent you to help me take back my city?" Aleyna shakes her head as she turns to him.

"I'm looking for a man named Martin, he's a priest here."

"Brother Martin, yeah."

"Did you spot him before you retreated?"

"Do you have to use that word Al?"

"Fine, did you see my guy before you advanced backwards to ensure further victory?" They both smile as she bumps his shoulder with hers, Matius chuckles.

"No, no I didn't but I wasn't on that end of the square. Calnius was though. Calnius!" Matius shouts as a young soldier, barely eighteen, whose helmet was two sizes too big for him, runs up to them.

"Calnius, this is Agent Jes." The young soldiers eyes widen as he snaps to attention.

"Ma'am."

"At ease Calnius she's not here for you. You were in the square outside the temple?" Matius asks as the pair lean against the barricades and look at the young boy. Aleyna folds her arms across her chest staring at the boys helmet tilted halfway to the side, sliding off his head.

"Yes, sir."

"Did you see what happened to one of the priests, Brother Martin?"

"Yes sir, he and several survivors along with Tierra and Inean took refuge in the Chapel."

"Soldier, does your blacksmith lack a measuring tape?" Aleyna interrupts as the soldier adjusts the helmet on his head again. It immediately slides back to where it was, perched half cocked on his head.

"Oh well um-it's not-it's not mine, ma'am. His name was Benis, I lost mine in a struggle." Aleyna nods, taking the helmet from his head and dropping her pack onto the ground.

She takes a strip of leather from it and punches the strip at both ends with the blade from her thigh. Slipping the newly made holes over the studs on the rim of the helmet, she drops it back onto his head and tucks the strap under his chin giving the top of the helmet a resounding slap.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Keep your head down and your eyes open, soldier." She steps aside as the young man hurries past her. Matius and Aleyna turn back to the Gate leaning on the barricade staring up at it.

"What are we going to do Al? I sent men in there to close that ungodly thing so we can retake the city, but none have returned."

"Those gates the only route into the city?"

"Yeah."

"Then I guess I'm going in there after them."

"You're still insane, you know that?" Matius looks down at her as she takes a knee, unbuckling her shield from her pack she looks at him and smiles as she slings the pack back around her shoulders.

"I know."

"We'll run cover for you as best we can."

"Appreciate that." Aleyna slides her arm through the leather bands of her shield and grips the handle as she draws her sword. She pauses, looking up at the massive gate.

"Good luck."

"Yeah, I think I'll need it." Aleyna bounds up two of the thin logs of the barricade jumping over the pointed ends, dropping onto her feet on the other side. She hears Matius call for a charge as she takes off sprinting for the gate.

Several scamps try to block her path but a hail of arrows from the Kvatch guards showers down on them as Aleyna nimbly side steps and vaults over one Scamp before an arrow drops him. She ducks under the arm of a Flame Antronach, pivoting on her ankle at a dead run as fireballs whiz past her.

The gate grows larger as she leaps off her back foot and throws herself into the eerie red void.


	5. Oblivion

Aleyna hits the ground rolling uncontrollably skidding to a stop on her hands and knees, her fingers digging long marks into the soil. She blinks in the howling wind as she pulls one knee under her and pushes herself to her feet. The harsh and burning hot air pelted her skin with bits of dust and sand as she looks up at the massive black tower before her.

Below it a single Legionnaire was surrounded by scamps, Aleyna shrugs off her bow and raises it, loosing an arrow. The scamp nearest the man falls as the soldier drives his sword into another and kicks the remaining beast off of the stone platform and into the molten lava below. The Legionnaire sees her and approaches her, sheathing his sword.

"I thought I'd never see another living soul again." He looks down at the pommel on her sword and his spine instinctively straightens.

"Soldier, want to get to me up to speed here and uh-make it fast huh?" She asks looking around at the desolate and awful world she had thrown herself into, the phrase looking before you leap momentarily crosses her mind.

"Ma'am-um-I mean Ag-Agent. Yes, of course um-I came here under orders of Captain Matius-"

"I know that much soldier, what's happened since you arrived?"

"The others, my men they were taken to the Tower." He turns and points, Aleyna looks crestfallen as she rests her hand on the hilt of her sword and looks up at the ominous tower, blowing the air from her lungs.

"I knew you were going to say that."

"Agent, ma'am, please help my friend Menien we were together when we were ambushed and the Daedra took him. You've got to save him!"

"Easy soldier, I'm here to do what I can. Take the gate back to Kvatch, tell Matius I made it through and I'm going to try to shut it down."

"Yes ma'am, you saved my life saved me from hell, I don't know how I'll ever thank you for this." Aleyna looks up at the towering abomination before her spiraling into the burning sky, its black horns branching up into the clouds. Thunder claps making her wince as the soldier turns and takes off for the Gate.

"Don't thank me yet."

Aleyna makes her way through the monstrous gate separating the bridge from the tower, walking along a well travelled dirt path as she takes the massive stone steps to the tower one at a time. She runs her hands over the hot stone that she assumed was the door, cocking her head at the Daedric letters engraved into it then steps back looking back up at the tower.

"The Blood Feast?" As she says the words the stone door begins to rumble and a gout of steam nearly burns her as a seam appears and the doors begin to part, revealing a gaping black maw within.

"Ok...and who wants to enter the creepy hell tower first?" She looks over her shoulder then back into the darkness within.

"Right. Ladies first." She steps over the threshold and into the darkness as the doors close behind her.

There's a loud rumbling echoing around her as she passes the entry way and pauses to examine the wells on either side of her. She recognizes the tingling feeling when she runs her hand over the wisps of blue smoke. Magicka wells.

She resumes her path through the foyer and stares up at the massive column of flames in the center of the floor, blazing a path up and into the rest of the tower and out of sight. She becomes bathed in its warm glow as she approaches the railing surrounding the column and peers into the bubbling lava pool below.

A low growl from behind her makes her turns slowly as a Caitiff in full armor swings a nasty looking mace at her. She ducks and side steps as he hits the railing growling as drool drips from his teeth. He swings again this time she bobs and shoves him aside.

His overzealous swing of the heavy weapon makes him stumble and hit the railing, losing his grip on his mace it falls into the lava.

Aleyna closes the gap, stooping as she grabs the Dremora's boots and rises to her feet tipping him the rest of the way over the railing. The creature screams as it hits the pool and begins to burn away.

Not wanting to stick around for anymore of his friends, she hurries down the nearest side passage and up a sprawling ramp. The door in front of her parts with a horrifying simultaneous crunching and squishing sound that makes her cringe.

She bounds up a second ramp that ends at a chamber with several benches surrounding a fountain of blood in the center. Walking cautiously into the room, she spies four corpses lashed to the four pillars surrounding the benches. She walks up to the only door in the room and makes a face as she runs her fingers over the seam. The door seemed to sense her presence and hisses as it parts a little then grinds it way open to the outside.

Aleyna walks out of the door blinking in the hot wind, it whips her loose bangs around as she looks at the narrow walkway bridging the two towers then cautiously peers over the edge. She slowly makes her way across to the tower, coming to a door. Running her fingers over the letters scrawled into the stone she mouths the words trying to make sense of them.

The Reapers Sprawl. Hell was turning out to be such a pleasant place, she rolls her eyes as she says the words aloud. The door remains closed, she draws her blade and pushes it into the crack in the stone door working it back and forth to a wide enough gap for her to get her fingers into.

She grunts with exertion as she plants both feet and pulls the stone door apart enough to get her shoulder into, the rest of her body following as she braces her back against one and works her foot into the gap between the other and extends her leg until the door opens completely.

Stepping into the tower she pulls an arrow from her quiver and drops it into the gap between the doors, just in case. She hears a voice that makes her turn, she yelps slapping her hand to her mouth when she comes face to face with a rotting corpse hanging by its feet.

"Over here!"

"You didn't just-" She cocks her head at the corpse.

"In the cage! Hurry!" Aleyna looks up at the platform only a feet above her and jogs up the ramp. The Sigil Keeper approaches her as she looks at the Kvatch soldier in the cage, suspended over open air a circle cut from the grate like platform.

"You should not be here mortal! Now your blood is forfeit, your flesh is mine!" Aleyna winces at the screaming voice of the Sigil Keeper that was both growling and shrill at the same times.

The dremora soldier swings his mace and Aleyna ducks, backpedaling as she yanks the sword from her scabbard.

She raises her Mithril shield as the mace bounces off of it, the dremora's swing was powerful almost knocking her off her feet and sending her tumbling back down the ramp behind her. He swings again this time she deflects the blow with her shield, pushing his mace arm away from her and thrusts her sword into the undefended space and through his chestplate almost to the hilt, the soldier howling in pain.

Aleyna rears off her back foot as she yanks the blade from its chest and kicks him hard, the dremora stumbles back and Aleyna pivots kicking off her right foot spinning as her leg whips through the air and strikes him again.

This time the monster loses his step and tumbles off of the edge of the platform. He makes a wild grab for the cage but misses falling several stories and impaling himself on a spike jutting out of the floor below. Aleyna peers over the edge at him as she sheaths her sword.

"Menien, I presume?" She asks as she examines the cage, then turns on her heel looking around for the release.

"Yes, yes, but quickly you must get to the central tower."

"I'm already heading there."

"You need to access the Sigil Keep, that's what they call the area at the top of the tower. There you will find a stone of some kind, if you remove it from the pedestal it'll collapse the bridge to Tamriel."

"Tower, Sigil Keep, Stone, got it. Now let's see about getting you out of here."

"Don't worry about me there's no time! Go back down there, the Keeper, that guy has a key to the Sigil Keep." He points down as Aleyna looks up at the man.

"I'm not leaving you here locked in a cage, there's been enough needless death for one day."

"Just go!"

"Menien, you're in hell!"

"Then I won't have far to come when they kill me, now go!" Aleyna walks backwards as she stares at the man gripping the bars of his cage, screaming at her. She searches the room again for the release but there wasn't one.

"I'll be back for you." She calls out as she turns on her heel and runs down the ramp for the key to get out of this ungodly place.

Aleyna sprints up the ramp as fireballs impact the wall behind her, ducking as one narrowly misses her sizzling over her head and hitting the wall close enough to wash her with heat as she stops, skidding on the stone short of a large circular platform.

It burns and glows with a symbol she doesn't recognize, hesitating she looks down at it before cringing and stepping onto it. Opening her eyes she looks around noting she was now higher up the tower.

She makes her way over to a narrow walkway and up the ramp easily shoving a scamp over the railing and to its death with a bash of her shield, jogging to a stop at another set of doors. The Keep, she hoped.

The room inside was unbearably hot, it was hard to breathe and sweat begins to bead her forehead and run down her temples, her loose bangs sticking to her cheeks. The chamber within had a bulbous flesh looking half sphere atop the column of fire the tower seemed to be built around. The sphere seemed to focus the fire into a more narrow column, terminating above her head in the center of a platform.

Several claw like protrusions made rudimentary staircases going up to the platform, looking over her shoulder she sees no opposition as she climbs the talons and approaches the platform.

The stone was surrounded by flames, Aleyna makes a face as she looks around again then back at the stone and shrugs. She reaches into the flames, cringing as the flames lick at her armored and gloved hand, searing her fingers.

The flaming stone seems to gravitate to her hand, pulling itself into her open palm. She steps back, the Sigil stone sizzling in her hand as the flames of the column of fire begin to twirl and circle. The room begins to shake and tremble as the platform she's on bucks then one of the chains holding it snaps.

The flames roll into themselves like a ball then explode, Aleyna brings her arms up to shield her face as she's blown backwards by a wall of flame and everything goes dark.


	6. Martin

As the Gate collapses it pitches Aleyna out as if tossed by a huge beast. Flying through the air she hits the ground hard, hearing her collarbone snap on impact as she rolls and tumbles coming to rest when she hits a chunk of boulder.

She catches her arm awkwardly and dislocates her shoulder. She groans as she lays there her armor smoldering, smoke rising from her soot covered body.

"Aleyna!" She can hear Matius and his boots as he approaches her.

"You did it kid, come on-up!" He pulls on her arm as he hauls her to her feet making her cry out in pain, yanking her arm away as she cradles it. Stumbling away from him, she gasps in the clean air and goes into a coughing fit.

"Wait wait, we have a healer, you! Run and get Father Dralgoner from the camp." The runner takes as Aleyna stumbles over to one of the wooden barricades and snakes her arm into the joints lashing the frame together.

She winces as she extends her upper body, throwing her other arm out as she rises and twists, her dislocated shoulder popping into place with an audible crunch that makes the soldiers cringe.

Aleyna crumples to the ground panting, resting her head against the wood, her arm still hanging loosely in the frame. She wipes the blood from her mouth and spits, managing a small laugh.

Matius shakes his head from side to side as he approaches her, Aleyna had been this way for as long as he'd known her way back when they were just recruits.

She couldn't have been more than fifteen at the time but she was tough as nails, tougher than all of them, and a glutton for punishment.

"I called for a healer you know." He clasps his hand around her good forearm near the elbow and hauls her to her feet. She smiles as she rolls her tongue in her mouth and spits blood again onto the ground.

"I don't like to wait." She winces as she touches her chest near the collar of her chainmail.

"Broken collarbone." Matius says as she nods, they had all had these injuries a dozen times or more, breaks and dislocations were commonplace for soldiers.

"Turn around." Aleyna complies, exhaling as she knew what was coming.

Matius grabs ahold of the top most belt of the chainmail cuirass, the belts were spaced evenly down her spine just undoing the buckle hurt. She winces in pain as he drives his knees into her back and pulls the belt as tight as he can till she almost couldn't breathe.

He gives it another pull until she cries out in pain, then buckles it.

"That'll keep for the time being till we finish the job." Aleyna nods as she leans over, putting both hands on her knees and blows the air from her lungs.

"Take back the city."

"That's right Agent, while I've got you I'm using you. Those are my citizens in there and I'm not leaving them to fend for themselves." Aleyna rises to her full height and nods.

"Then let's get in there."

They move back around the barricades and sprint past the ruins of the Gate as they charge into the southern plaza of the beseiged city.

Aleyna thrusts her blade into the unarmored Dremora who howls out in pain as her blade exits its back, severing the spine. His black robe stains with blood as she pulls the blade from its chest and kicks it back onto a ruined barrel of broken bottles.

Matius kills the last Clanfear as Aleyna walks over to a dead Kvatch guard she had seen go down. She takes a knee, turning him over onto his back a massive burnt hole in his chest. She rests her arm on her bent knee as Matius approaches her.

"Got him out of Oblivion just so he could die at the hands of a Scamp." She looks over at the creature lying dead just a few feet away.

"He wouldn't have had it any other way Agent. Come on, let's get these people of here." He helps her to her feet as they take the steps of the Temple, Aleyna pounds her fist against the big wooden door.

The door swings open as several Kvatch guards aim their swords at them. They all look relieved to see them as Aleyna and Matius duck in the doorway, another soldier closing it behind them. Matius walks up to the senior guard who snaps to attention.

Aleyna's eyes wander the chapel as she searches for what she came for.

"Report soldier." The female guard shakes her head at Matius.

"Sir, we are all that's left. Inean, myself, six watchmen and about a dozen civilians."

"The area around the chapel is clear, start evacuating these civilians then regroup here."

"Sir, yes sir." Aleyna grabs the woman's arm as she walks by. The guard begins to protest until she looks down seeing the sigil on the pommel of Aleyna's sword, her eyes widening.

"Yes ma'am?"

"I'm looking for one of your civilians, a priest named Martin." The woman looks around then points to a tall man in robes nearest the altar.

Aleyna thanks her as she takes the stairs down and weaves her way through the pews coming to the man's side. She folds her arms across her chest without saying a word, staring down into the small pool of water within the altar.

"I heard you helped the guards drive back the Daedra, I guess I owe you my life." Aleyna turns to him, she exhales as she looks into the wisened pale blue eyes she had seen a thousand times in the Emporer.

"I need you to come with me Martin."

"I heard, we're getting out of the city."

"Yes. Except you're not going with them, you're coming with me. Your life is in danger and I was sent to bring you to safety." Martin huffs as he looks at the altar crossing his arms.

"You came along way to tell me the obvious."

"My orders were to find a priest named Martin and make sure he got to a safe place just outside of Bruma. Do I have the right man or not?"

"I don't know stranger, I am a priest but I'm having trouble understanding the gods purpose for me here today." Aleyna grabs the mans bicep in her iron grip, fixing him with her dark green eyes, her gaze sending chills down his spine her voice lowering as she speaks.

"I'm an Agent of the Imperial Legion, do you know what that means?" He tries to pull his arm away but fails.

"It means you're an assassin."

"It means I don't make requests or fail to follow orders. Now I will drag you out of this city kicking and screaming, on my back if need be, but you are coming with me. Make it a lot easier on both of us and just shut up and follow me."

"That insufferable guard captain with the headband said you closed the Oblivion Gate."

"That's right, and if that couldn't stop me what chance do you have?" She releases his arm and he rubs his bicep.

"You have quite a grip." She flashes her perfect and pretty smile as she nods her head over her shoulder.

"Come on priest, life as you know it has come to an end. Matius!" She shouts as she turns on her heel and takes the steps to the doors two at a time.

"Get this guy a sword. I'm afraid this is where you and I part ways again old friend." Matius nods as he takes a sword from a nearby crate and hands it to Martin.

"I wish you could stay and help us retake the city," Aleyna looks at Martin as he fumbles with the belt, the sword on backwards. She smacks his hands away and rights it, buckling it so tight he winces. She puts his hand on the pommel.

"Crossdraw, like this. Lift straight out then extend, keep the point away from anything you don't want to kill." She explains before turning back to Matius.

"I would if I could, but I have my orders. I wouldn't worry though this isn't the last you've seen of me." She gestures for Martin to follow as Matius chuckles to himself.

"No, I don't imagine I'm that lucky."

Aleyna smiles as she pulls open the chapel door and steps out into the cold night air.

Martin wasn't used to such harsh travel, it had been months since he had left Kvatch. His companion, the Agent, seemed to be perfectly all right with the thirteen hours of hard riding without break, without even slowing.

He was also freezing, high in the peaks of the Jerrall mountains the wind bit into his skin and chilled his bones, sapping his energy. His mind was still plagued by the thoughts of what Aleyna had told him on their one and only break for the horses to drink.

Aleyna had handed him a cup of the river water and leaned against a rock, explaining to him why he was going where he was going. A Septim? It seemed almost impossible to believe, even more so, they wanted him to be Emporer. He spent the rest of the ride trying to keep those thoughts from his mind, they were too overwhelming.

Aleyna had given him a spare blanket from her saddlebag but she had clearly come prepared, a large fur shawl clipped around the shoulders of her black patchwork leather armor. Martin looks up at the doors of the ancient Akaviri fort, Cloud Ruler Temple, the home of the Blades.

The massive doors slowly open as Aleyna swings herself from the saddle, several members of the Blades exiting the huge doors and down the path towards them. An elder man, wearing only a simple robe amongst the heavily armored knights, steps forward and bows his head.

"My lord, I am Jauffre your servant, Grandmaster of the Blades. You honor us, we have not had a visit from an Emporer to the Temple in some time."

"Well, thank you that's very good of you to say." Martin shifts from one foot the other awkwardly, uncomfortably, looking upon the eager and expectant faces of the Knights around him. Jauffre turns to Aleyna who rests her hand on the hilt of her sword, her spine straightening.

"I see you've met Aleyna Jes. Thank you for getting him here safely, Agent." Jauffre shakes the warriors gloved hand as she gives him a resolute nod.

"She is something isn't she?" Martin looks at the woman.

"Yes, well, once again thank you Agent. You're dismissed."

"Of course, Grandmaster. Emporer." She replies turning and bowing her head to Martin.

"Well-wait, um, you-you're not staying?" Martin looks at her then over his shoulder up at the huge walls of the Temple.

"I'm sure Agent Jes is needed elsewhere. With the death of your father she now reports directly to the Elder Council, and I'm sure the Chancellor is eager for a progress report." Jauffre rests his hand on Martins shoulder and gives Aleyna a look that needed no words, she clears her throat.

"He's right Martin, I have my duties to attend to." Aleyna turns on her heel, her boots crunching in the snow as she mounts her horse and her eyes look up at the Temple before she turns in place and snaps the reigns, making her way back down the mountains.

"Come with us, sire, allow me to introduce you to those of our Order." Jauffre turns Martin in place as he watches Aleyna ride away over his shoulder.

"What? Oh yes, of course Grandmaster please lead on."


	7. Kingmaker

Aleyna's green eyes snap open in the dark room, her hand circling around the leather wrapped handle of the elven shortsword sitting flush along her headboard.

She extends her arm the sword coming to rest pressed against the shadow's neck that looms over her bed trying to shake her awake. The shadow gasps in surprise and fright.

"Wai-wait! Aleyna it's me-it's Martin!"

Aleyna leans up in bed, pulling the covers over her exposed breasts. She reaches over setting the small sword on her bedside table and turns the knob on the lantern beside it, letting more light come from the darkened lamp.

"Martin, you know that's a good way to end up dead? What are you doing here?" This was the first time Martin had seen Aleyna so...exposed and it catches him off guard. It was strangely funny to him, she had never really struck him as, well, a woman until this moment.

Her dark hair was loose for the first time, instead of the almost painfully tight ponytail she had sported before. It wasn't what he expected, darker than he remembered and a mane of silky ringlets that fell across her pretty face highlighting her green eyes twinkling in the lantern light.

Her skin was just barely kissed by the sun, clean, soft and supple not covered in blood and grime like before. Her body was toned, but not overly muscled or bulky like other female soldiers he had met. For the first time she struck him as incredibly beautiful.

"I needed to talk to someone about all this."

"How did you get in here?" Martin looks at her quizzically then hikes his thumb over his shoulder at the door to her quarters.

"Martin, I live in the wreckage of a two hundred year old pirate ship...in a cave...under a castle. How did you even find this place?"

"Oh, Jauffre told me, and Achille brought me here." Aleyna blows the air from her lungs in huff, her eyes rolling to the ceiling as she shakes her head.

"Damn him. Secret hideaway, the key word being secret." She mutters to herself as she sits up more with her back against her headboard.

"Ally? Who're you talking to?" A soft, sleepy voice comes from the other side of the bed as another attractive woman sits up, rubbing her brown eyes.

The woman's dark blue almost black hair cascades down her bare shoulders as she blinks in the light and pulls the covers over her naked body when she sees the uninvited guest. Martin's cheeks begins to turn to the color of a fresh apple and he stammers looking at the two of them.

"I-I am so sorry I didn't realize you had, um, company."

"Well that's what happens when you barge into someone's bedroom in the middle of the night. Martin Septim, Luciana Galena."

"Luci, meet Martin Septim."

"Ohh, so this is him?"

"This is him. Lack of common courtesy and all. Hand me that shirt over there Martin." Aleyna rests her arms on her bent knees that were covered by the blanket and yawns as she runs her fingers through her dark hair.

Martin hands her the large shirt and she slides out of bed Martin turning away trying to be modest, a trait Aleyna clearly lacked.

In the reflection of one of the half-broken panes of glass in the old ships Captain's Quarters he can see her lithe and agile frame, and he can just make out the many scars of battle and the purple of healing bruises defiling what he'd call near flawless beauty.

Aleyna drops the shirt over her body and flips her hair from the neckline, leaning down she kisses her equally lovely companion.

"Go back to sleep. You, come with me." Martin obliges as they exit the small cabin, Aleyna shuffling barefoot out onto the plank decking that bridges the caves various rock outcroppings.

He watches her long smooth bare legs as they walk across a small area of rock leading to another plank walkway that circles the large cavern surrounding the Black Flag.

They walk past several training aids, dummies and archery targets, a large stack of crates and chests, walking parallel above and alongside the large ship. It's masts broken and half submerged in the shallow water several dozen feet below. They take a right crossing above the bow of the ancient pirate ship, approaching a huge bonfire.

Aleyna brushes a few of her dark ringlets from her cheek behind one ear as she tosses several pieces of wood into the roaring fire. She picks up an iron kettle and sets it onto one of the large flat rocks bordering the massive conflagration.

She stands there for a moment, extending her hands warming them and her bare legs before she nods to a couple of chairs around a small square dining table.

Yawning, she plops down into one pulling the shirt further down her thighs, the long sleeves hiding her hands as she folds her arms across her chest.

"This place is unlike anything I've ever seen before, a little damp but I like it."

"I live with two idiots who fancy themselves pirates, a spy, a thief, a smuggler and a fletcher. It's not exactly White Gold Tower, Martin."

"And yet it's strangely you." Aleyna fights off another yawn.

"Want to tell me what's on your mind Martin?"

"It's all of this." Aleyna gets up from her seat and picks up the kettle from the rock, pulling her hand away shaking it in the air as it was hot to the touch.

She uses her sleeve over her hand and sets it onto the table between them. Taking two cups from a nearby chest tipping the lid closed and looking down into them, she blows the dust out and pours the hot tea, sliding one over to Martin.

"Being Emporer?" She cradles the steaming cup in both hands and leans back in her chair pulling both knees to her chest her toes curling over the lip of the seat.

"They tell me I'm a Septim, then they expect me to immediately know everything about how to run an Empire." Aleyna rubs one eye.

"I imagine it's pretty intimidating."

"You should have heard the Blades welcoming me after you left me at the Temple. All hail Martin Septim, all hail the Dragonborn, hail! It was a bit unnerving. They all looked at me like I would suddenly know how to lead them, how to save us all." Martin looks down into his cup picking out a speck of something that floated in it, he flicks it away.

Aleyna sips her tea in silence and nods, staring into the roaring fire.

"I was hoping you'd have some kind of advice for me, or I don't know, maybe I just wanted company." Aleyna snorts and sips from her cup again.

"What's so funny?"

"What advice could I possibly give you?"

"From what I've gathered from Jauffre and the Blades, you were the Emporer's right hand man well- in a manner of speaking." Aleyna's green eyes fall onto him.

"Martin. The Emporer was just that, my Emporer. Sure the man took me in, raised me like his own but he had three legitimate heirs to teach how to run an Empire."

"Then what did he teach you?"

"How to keep an Empire."

"I don't understand."

"An Agent of the Imperial Army is not simply an assassin or a spy, I do any job that's asked of me."

"When a Count has designs beyond his station he comes to his chambers to find me waiting for him, and we have a quiet conversation to remind of his place. If a King refuses to kneel to the Empire I personally walk him before the Ruby Throne and I make him kneel." Aleyna pauses as she looks back into the fire, sipping her tea for a long quiet moment. Her eyes reflect the flames like glassy pools of green water.

"I'm not a Kingmaker, Martin. I'm the monster under their beds."

"Jauffre says the Legion had a name for you, the oncoming storm." Aleyna doesn't reply as she drinks her steaming beverage, gazing into the crackling flames.

"That's quite a title to have earned for someone so young."

"You know what separates me as the best over the other Agents, or assassins, or even knights like the Blades? I'm still alive."

"You loved the Emporer very much didn't you?" Martin looks at her, not quite buying her strong and silent warrior routine.

"Yes I did Martin, I decimated entire armies for him. I beheaded their Generals, poisoned their rulers and murdered their advisors. I brought entire kingdoms to their knees...these aren't things you can do motivated by duty alone."

"I want you to be my advisor, not what you did for my father but help me be an Emporer." Aleyna downs the last of her tea in one gulp and slaps the cup down onto the table, rim down.

"You want advice? Put on the Amulet and relight the Dragonfires...while you still have an Empire to rule over." Aleyna pushes herself up from her chair and walks past him.

"Thanks for the tea."

Aleyna doesn't reply instead throws him a two fingered wave over her shoulder as she crosses the walkways circling around the cavern again, heading back to her quarters. Martin looks around then sits back in his chair downing the last of his tea as he looks into the fire.

"I'll just show myself out."


	8. A Knight to Remember

Aleyna laughs as she takes another bite of the warm and freshly baked bread, drinking a sip of the apple juice from her cup she kicks her boots up onto the corner of the table.

"And then I said to the guy "Your wife? I thought she was your horse!" The breakfast table erupts in laughter as Aleyna chews a small piece of fruit, listening and laughing at another tale of drunken debauchery from her friend and roommate Jak Silver.

She loved mornings like this breakfast surrounded by her friends, the mood was good and their plates were full. Luci touches her arm and points across the table at the mouth of Dunbarrow Cove, past the Black Flag at a Knight standing at attention in their doorway.

"What does he want?" Melliwin asks in between bites of bread, leaning back past Tahm's shoulders and looking at the stern man.

"I don't know." Aleyna wipes her mouth and throws her napkin down onto her plate, pushing her chair back she crosses the walkways towards him.

"I see the idea of a secret place is completely lost on you lot, is that irony for an Order of spies? Or do you think you're the only ones allowed their secrets?"Aleyna asks as Achille turns to her.

"I wouldn't know ma'am." Aleyna rests her hands on her waist, and gives him a look.

"Don't call me ma'am Achille, I've known you since you were a clumsy little Spearman. What do you want?" Achille fixes her with a look.

"The Grandmaster has ordered your presence." Aleyna folds her arms across her chest and arches her eyebrow.

"Did he now? Well then, it's a good thing I don't work for Jauffre isn't it? Tell him to go jump off a cliff." Achille's lip twitches at her disrespect.

"Tell him yourself." Achille extends a sealed roll of parchment in his hand.

Aleyna looks down at the seal then glares up at him for a moment, snatching it from his hand. Breaking the seal and unrolling the scroll, she reads the Order once, then reads it again before looking up at him.

"You can't be serious. Ocato would've never agreed to this." Achille shrugs.

"I couldn't say either way, I had my orders to deliver this Declaration to you and now you have your orders..." Achille turns to leave and pauses, smirking over his shoulder.

"Ma'am." Aleyna's eyes narrow at him as she balls up the parchment in her hand and throws it at the back of his helmeted head.

The doors to Cloud Ruler Temple burst open, slamming against their hinges as Aleyna storms in. Two Blade Knights at the doors outside reach in and pull them closed again as she crosses the long floor.

The temperature in the room seems to drop, a chill hanging in the air as she marches up to Jauffre, hunched over a set of plans muttering something to the man standing at his side. She stops in front of him and holds up the wrinkled but still legible scroll.

"By the Authority of the Elder Council, it's ruling members do hereby decree that Aleyna Jes Agent of the Empire, formerly of the Army's 13th Legion and honored Knight of the Imperial Dragon, is, as of the time of signing, transferred to the Authority of the Blades and her rank of Knight restored under Command and Direction of the Grandmaster of said Order?!"

Aleyna recites the Declaration of the Council from memory. An easy thing to do after the dozen times she read it, little choice left to her since she was also angrily waving it at Jauffre. The Grandmaster looks up at her for a long moment then folds his hands on his desk and looks at his steward who was taking his dictation.

"Would you excuse us?" He asks politely as the steward bows and exits the Hall through the doors to the east wing.

"You know, I've never actually heard all that aloud before. It's quite a mouthful how do you keep track of it?"

"Well, I found it's much simpler just to say I don't want to work for you!" Aleyna raises her voice as she slams her hands down on Jauffre's desk and glares at him.

"That's fine, you're free to go." Jauffre gestures at the doors, Aleyna looks at him for a moment searching his eyes then nods turning to leave.

"Of course..." Aleyna stops mid step her head slumping forward, she knew she wasn't getting off that easily.

"I'll have to inform the Chancellor of this. I doubt he'll be willing to restore your previous rank given your clear inability to follow orders. It's not a quality the Legion looks for in its elite operatives." Aleyna squares her shoulders, which slowly relax as she blows the air from her lungs. Jauffre stands up, dropping his quill onto his desk.

"Don't throw away your commission over this. The Empire still needs you I just needed you to be taking your orders directly from me, not the Council." Aleyna turns back to him and marches over to a chair, dropping into it.

She folds her arms across her chest, her face bearing a pouting scowl, Jauffre shakes his head as he sits back down in his chair. He sometimes forgot what war has made of all those eager young faces the Legion recruited what felt like a lifetime ago, even with all her accomplishments.

One of the youngest soldiers to ever carry her ranks or bear her honours, it didn't help that most of those who carried them before her were dead. Her scowl reminds him that Aleyna was still a young woman, not even thirty years, and that she was unaccustomed to not getting her way.

"Aleyna I know this whole thing has changed you, everyone can see you slowly pulling away from the Service, from the Legion, but the fact is I have jobs only someone with your unique talents and training can accomplish." Aleyna makes a face and sighs before looking back up at him.

"Tell me what you need, Grandmaster."

"The Amulet of Kings has been taken." Aleyna sits up straighter in her chair.

"How?"

"I left it in the capable hands of one of our brothers in the Priory, but it was attacked Brother Maborel was killed and the Amulet was taken."

"That's a problem."

"An underestimation of enormous proportions my child, without the Amulet Martin cannot relight the Dragonfires and without the Fires, I fear this war will rip Tamriel apart. We are truly facing the imminent destruction of the Empire if we don't do something soon." Aleyna looks at him.

"So, no pressure." Jauffre chuckles as Aleyna slouches in her chair again.

"All right, where do you want me to start?"

"I'm sending you to the Capitol, the Elven district to be precise. I've arranged a meeting at a local establishment with our operative whose been trying to get a handle on all of this." Aleyna gets to her feet and comes to attention.

"Dismissed, Knight." Aleyna glares at him as he smirks and turns on her heel, exiting the Hall the way she came.


	9. The Search is On

Aleyna pushes open the door into Luther Broad's Boarding House, her eyes wandering the room until she spies Baurus sitting on a stool at the bar. She casually sits down beside him and orders an ale, taking a long pull from it before Baurus glances her way.

"See that guy over there?"Aleyna turns on the stool resting her elbows back against the bar, sipping her ale as if taking in the whole room before she lets her eyes fall on the man in the corner.

His dark hair hid his face, which was even more difficult to make out nose deep in a book. After a moment she sips her mug again and stretches turning back to the bar, tipping the ale to her lips again.

"Yep."

"I'm going to get up and walk downstairs, see if he follows me."

"You got it." Aleyna drinks her ale as she finds herself oddly having missed working with the Blades. They thought like her, were trained like her and knew how to behave like her, a professional. It made things so much simpler.

Baurus gets up and walks out of sight around the corner, into the basement. She watches the man out of the corner of her eye as he rises and follows stuffing his book into his knapsack, walking past her.

Aleyna drops a couple septims onto the bar and follows, her hand reaching to the small of her back and lifting her shirt, undoing the tie on the sheath, belted discreetly on its side along her waist.

She wraps her hand around the handle as she pulls open the door and takes the stone steps.

The sounds of a scuffle meet her ears and Aleyna jumps the stairs turning on her heel as she rounds the corner. Baurus and the man were locked in a struggle, Baurus had ahold of the man's dagger hand, and the man had ahold of his. Baurus tries to knee the man but he bends enough to take the bite out of the blow.

Aleyna pulls the knife from the small of her back and snakes her arm around the mans neck thrusting the blade in, just left of the spine.

Baurus clamps his hand over the man's mouth when he opens it to howl in pain and Aleyna pulls out the bloody knife, mechanically thrusting it again between the ribs and puncturing the lower chambers of his heart. Baurus lets the man drop as Aleyna steps back their eyes meeting.

"Search him, I'll keep an eye out." Aleyna nods as she kneels, quickly emptying the man's pocket.

"Anything?"

"Not yet." She cuts the strap of the mans knapsack with her bloody knife and turns it over shaking it, dumping the contents onto the floor replacing her knife in its sheath and hiding it with her shirt. A couple of septims, a ring...

"Baurus? You still spend all your off time in the Library?" Aleyna flips the heavy book from the knapsack in her hands, running her fingers over the cover.

"Not these days, why?"

"Ever read Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes?"

"I can't say that I have." Baurus approaches and she hands up the book to him, looking into the empty pack for anything else. She stands up dusting off her hands as Baurus flips through the pages.

"I'm glad to see you by the way." He says only looking up momentarily to see if anyone was coming down the stairs.

"Me too."

"Heard about Kvatch, nasty business."

"I survived, do me a favor?" Baurus glances up from the book at her.

"Anything."

"Stop telling people where I live." He chuckles and slaps the book closed in his hand, looking down at the corpse

"All right, here's what we know so far. The assassins who killed the Emporer were part of a daedric cult called the Mythic Dawn."

"You got all that from the book?"

"Give me some credit, I've been here working the problem since you took off for the Priory."

"So daedra worshippers, which Prince?" Aleyna asks as Baurus gestures at the body. Aleyna stoops, grabbing the corpse under the arms as Baurus grabs the feet and they carry him around the corner, deeper into the basement.

"Mehrunes Dagon."

"Not a nice guy."

"Not in the least, I've been tracking their agents here in the city as best I can on my own, guess someone finally noticed." Baurus tips open a large crate with his boot and they dump the would be assassin's body into it.

"So what's our next move?"

"I'm compromised, so it falls to you now. There's a woman named Tar-Meena-"

"From the University?"

"You know each other?" Aleyna takes a knee gathering up the cultist's discarded belongings.

"She's a friend, I made a few during my time there."

"At the University?"

"Got to learn poisons somewhere Baurus." Aleyna walks back over to the crate and tosses the knapsack in with the body, shutting the lid.

"I'll go see her about the cult, what about you?"

"I've got to report in on this, get rid of him before he starts to smell."

"I'm on it then."

"I'll be here at Luther's if you need me." Aleyna throws him a wave over her shoulder as she bounds up the stairs.

The walk through the districts to the opposite end of the Capitol was pleasant. She really did love this city, walking through the Temple district conjured up memories of leaning against the wall of the Temple of the One, dutifully following the royal family to church as Uriel had asked her to.

She pushes through the gates into the Arboretum, past the flowers and well tended trees inhaling the sweet scent of the night air, under the watchful gaze of the statues of the Eight and One. She pauses looking up at Talos for a long moment before continuing down the path and through the gates into the Arcane University.

The University towers above her as she walks past the Battlemage guards at the entrance, taking the steps past the magenta flames of the compound lights.

She wasn't here long in her time but she liked it, things were peaceful. Time spent in the Orrey just watching the planets turn, talking to friends and listening to lectures. She pushes open the iron gates leading past the tower, deeper into the University.


End file.
